1. Stop making excuses. We have to assume that what you're showing in the video is the best that you can do, because if it weren't, then why would you post a half-assed attempt and try to get real input based on something that you don't even do normally?

2. Stop being ignorant. If you want to improve your serve, you need to load your lower body. There is no way around it, and if it's throwing off your timing, then post a video of you doing it so that we then can tell you what's going wrong. Eliminating the single biggest pace generator on your serve because it makes it worse is not a reason to nix the technique; it should instead be an impetus to get you to begin to improve it.

On a non-mean note, you should probably go and see a sports physiologist or take a cardiovascular stress test. I'm not trying to scare you, but my heart rate used to spike tremendously, and only after going to many doctors did it turn out that half of my heart was enlarged which caused the muscle to stiffen and raise my blood pressure and heart rate. No one of your age and look should ever have a heart rate exceeding 180bpm unless you're doing HIIT or something else highly cardiovascularly taxing. Tennis is not one of those things.

1. Stop making excuses. We have to assume that what you're showing in the video is the best that you can do, because if it weren't, then why would you post a half-assed attempt and try to get real input based on something that you don't even do normally?

2. Stop being ignorant. If you want to improve your serve, you need to load your lower body. There is no way around it, and if it's throwing off your timing, then post a video of you doing it so that we then can tell you what's going wrong. Eliminating the single biggest pace generator on your serve because it makes it worse is not a reason to nix the technique; it should instead be an impetus to get you to begin to improve it.

On a non-mean note, you should probably go and see a sports physiologist or take a cardiovascular stress test. I'm not trying to scare you, but my heart rate used to spike tremendously, and only after going to many doctors did it turn out that half of my heart was enlarged which caused the muscle to stiffen and raise my blood pressure and heart rate. No one of your age and look should ever have a heart rate exceeding 180bpm unless you're doing HIIT or something else highly cardiovascularly taxing. Tennis is not one of those things.

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longest day of the year. Hot. Played soccer before that. Sweat burning into eyes. tired. It was the best I could do at the time but I can do better...like i said, my memory card was full. Lol sry more excuses

K I will get to a vid going 100% with leg, hip, torso, shoulder and everything. I was overly tired that time so I just couldnt bend my knees and drive into the ball. I just bent my knees and all the upper body weight would crash down...it sucks when most of 165 pounds comes crashing down on u...

And thx for the heads up on the heart thing...its not when I play tennis though. Its when I run more than 50m, or do repetitive actions like jumping jacks, suicides, etc.

longest day of the year. Hot. Played soccer before that. Sweat burning into eyes. tired. It was the best I could do at the time but I can do better...like i said, my memory card was full. Lol sry more excuses

K I will get to a vid going 100% with leg, hip, torso, shoulder and everything. I was overly tired that time so I just couldnt bend my knees and drive into the ball. I just bent my knees and all the upper body weight would crash down...it sucks when most of 165 pounds comes crashing down on u...

And thx for the heads up on the heart thing...its not when I play tennis though. Its when I run more than 50m, or do repetitive actions like jumping jacks, suicides, etc.

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Any person under the age of 30 should be able to do a 100m sprint without passing out. That isn't far in the slightest. I used to be grossly overweight aka 240+ and am now floating around 165, and when I was overweight, I wasn't yet at my full height which is 5'10 and some pennies. In high school PE, I used to run the 100m and the 200m on the track, and could do it without dying. I didn't win, but I could give it my best effort and not be completely out of breath or feel like I'm going to pass out. When your heart rate spikes during exertion (which is exactly what the stress test does: it puts you on a treadmill, stationary bike or some other form of cardiovascular exercise and makes note of your respiration, heart rate, blood pressure and a few other things), that's a sign of an inefficiency. As you get older, that inefficiency is most likely simply body aging or a lack of lean body mass in favor of the more easy to acquire fat tissue (that's actually a misnomer, as you cannot grow or add new fat cells, but instead when you get fatter, you're simply filling the existing cells with more lipids. It's one of the reasons why liposuction is without question the worst way to get rid of excess fat as you're ripping out your body's tissue that it needs). Since you're not even in high school yet, or if you are, have just started, then you really shouldn't be encountering any of the above, so I would go and make sure everything is a-ok because unfortunately that isn't normal.

I to figure it out using the "Calculating Serve Speed from Frame Count" web site (after downloading the video from youtube) and I counted 10 frames from baseline to net on the first serve at 30 fps- which would be 88 mph. Does that seem right?

I tried to figure it out using the "Calculating Serve Speed from Frame Count" web site (after downloading the video) and I counted 10 frames from baseline to net on the first serve at 30 fps- which would be 88 mph. Does that seem right?

I tried to figure it out using the "Calculating Serve Speed from Frame Count" web site (after downloading the video) and I counted 10 frames from baseline to net on the first serve at 30 fps- which would be 88 mph. Does that seem right?

I tried to figure it out using the "Calculating Serve Speed from Frame Count" web site (after downloading the video) and I counted 10 frames from baseline to net on the first serve at 30 fps- which would be 88 mph. Does that seem right?

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I would give the best one there an 80. Some professional women who do use their legs serve in the 90s, and that serve is not near that.

Any person under the age of 30 should be able to do a 100m sprint without passing out. That isn't far in the slightest. I used to be grossly overweight aka 240+ and am now floating around 165, and when I was overweight, I wasn't yet at my full height which is 5'10 and some pennies. In high school PE, I used to run the 100m and the 200m on the track, and could do it without dying. I didn't win, but I could give it my best effort and not be completely out of breath or feel like I'm going to pass out. When your heart rate spikes during exertion (which is exactly what the stress test does: it puts you on a treadmill, stationary bike or some other form of cardiovascular exercise and makes note of your respiration, heart rate, blood pressure and a few other things), that's a sign of an inefficiency. As you get older, that inefficiency is most likely simply body aging or a lack of lean body mass in favor of the more easy to acquire fat tissue (that's actually a misnomer, as you cannot grow or add new fat cells, but instead when you get fatter, you're simply filling the existing cells with more lipids. It's one of the reasons why liposuction is without question the worst way to get rid of excess fat as you're ripping out your body's tissue that it needs). Since you're not even in high school yet, or if you are, have just started, then you really shouldn't be encountering any of the above, so I would go and make sure everything is a-ok because unfortunately that isn't normal.

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k thx for the warning. I'm 5' 11", 14 (15 in two weeks), and 165 pounds. I don't pass out after a 100m sprint but I cant sprint 100m. Thats the problem. I can sprint very fast for 10m but I considerably lose pace to the point I half-run the other 90m. I can do about 15 seconds (the whole 100m) or faster. 200m I usually get a cramp and need to catch my breath a lot and feel like I'm nearly depleted in energy. I'm the kind of person who has tons of energy and power but can only use it up very fast while depleting all of it. During Track in Phys.ed I always hated that, "jog at a steady pace" crap cuz sprinting and jogging depleted the same amount of energy after about 50m. I can jog a complete 200m but barely. So its not that I have a low energy level, its that I cant sustain it for a period of time.

My tennis however doesn't seem to be affected by this cuz my game doesnt consist of too much running or repetitive activity. There's always a small break between points and thats when I find the time to regain strength to last another point. Of course, that all disappears after like 2hours.

You can tell you definitely have the perception of hitting straight to the box. It's important to remember that even when Roddick hits his 140 bombs it is not a straight line from his racket to the point where the ball hits the ground. On the first one you hit it in the net, then instead of hitting more forward and maybe putting a touch of spin on it you just shifted your grip and were less palm down. You made the wrong correction. But hey! At least you where palm down down on the first one which is more than I can say for most people. Fast forward this vid to the serving portion and listen closely.

does that look like zero effort to you? you don't have to comment you know. Those who want to give an opinion, gives theirs, those who don't arent forced to.

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Well, saying "zero effort" is a bit harsh but truthfully you don't look like you are hitting a first serve on a point you really care about. You look like what you were actually doing: hitting a couple of serves for a camera with nothing on the line, mentally.

I hope when you are really hitting serves that you care about, your motion will be a bit more deliberate and your motion will incorporate more leg motion etc to maximize your pace and racquet head speed.

These 3 combined will mean your Racquet will move faster, your body will move further and you will ultimately be able to hit the ball harder and higher. You should be able to put up to another 15 - 20 mph on your serve with practice and the extra height will mean less in the bottom of the net.

Your racquet technique looks good, you just need a little work on your feet and body is all.

These 3 combined will mean your Racquet will move faster, your body will move further and you will ultimately be able to hit the ball harder and higher. You should be able to put up to another 15 - 20 mph on your serve with practice and the extra height will mean less in the bottom of the net.

Your racquet technique looks good, you just need a little work on your feet and body is all.

No legs, no body, no kinetics.
Great swing.
Equals serves around the low 90's at best.
Can be easily into the lower 120's with some of the legs and body.
Up to you whether you want to try or not.
NOBODY sprints full 100 meter dashes. Always a letdown somewhere.
Most top sprinters can sprint full out for about 80 yards only.

I think you are on the right track but there is a lot of room for improvement.

These points are just what Ive seen on your video with 5-6serves... you already have the height advantage but if you make more adjustments such as bending your knees lower or much lower to acheive that "trophy" pose you'll notice a much better transfer of power from your legs (just like what others have suggested). Also try to "hook" your grip/wrist management to the racket so the ball can increase its bounce angle/elevation.

I would suggest updating the video to show where you balls are landing (you may need a very high tripod or mounting system). This can show your excellent and consistent placement of your serves to the T and corners. You can also try different variety of serves like serving with a 'fall' so you can put more of your weight transferred to the ball. Also show your topspin or slice serves etc...Thanks and good luck.

The toss is the most important part of the serve. Your toss technique is more of a throw. You should push the ball, not throw it. It should have no spin on it. And, your left arm should extend all the way up and point straight at the ball, until you are ready to uncoil. You're not getting in to a full trophy pose at the peak of your toss. These two things will give you a more consistent, accurate toss.

You also need to turn and tilt your shoulders more in the windup. At the peak of the toss, when your left arm is pointing straight up at the ball, you should be giving your opponenet at least a 3/4 view of your back (that's the turn), AND your shoulders should be tilted, with your left shoulder above your right shoulder, as far as you comfortably can. If you turn and tilt your shoulders as far as you comfortably can, your legs will have no choice but to bend and load up. In this position, with your left are pointing straight at the ball, you are in the full trophy position at the peak of the toss.

From there, you reverse the shoulder tilt, thereby turning the upper body toward the target, drive upward with your legs, swing upward at the ball, and transfer your weight into the court - ALL AT THE SAME TIME.